Aevitas ac nam Semper
by The Only Pancake
Summary: The werewolves have been at war with vampires for centuries. When the pack crosses a line, Jasper decides to take their "game" to a frightening new level. How is Alice involved in it all, and what is Jasper's true motive behind kidnapping her?
1. Chapter 1

_This is a time when words like peace are war is obsolete--lost amongst the chaos and tension of surviving each day that passed. Peaceful times are fading from the minds of the oldest men, and war is so constant and natural it was just every day life. Nothing special. Nothing to cry about, just suck it up and struggle towards the dim, dim light at the end of that long tunnel._

_This black and bloody world is not for everyone. In particular, the inhabitants of La Push and affiliated Forkians are the only unfortunate subjects to such constant battle and terror._

_Why?_

_Because for generations, the werewolves of La Push have been at odds with a particular group of vampires. It used to be one-sided in the wolves favors. But then the vampires got a new leader, a ruthless and cunning man. The young new alphas now face a danger they cannot possibly be prepared for._

_When the wrong move is made, the wrong person kidnapped, and the wrong bond forged - can there possibly be an end in sight to this mindless cycle of hate? Or will these mortal enemies destroy one another once and for all, ripping apart an innocent life along the way?_

* * *

**Leah's POV**

It was silent night this late December evening, and my pack-brothers and I were tired and hungry. We had been tracking a particular band of enemies for almost three days, stopping only when Seth was available to stalk along and not lose the scent trail. The trail was so faint I was afraid _we _were going to lose it.

We were now in the heart of the Denali Mountains. It was like walking in the pages of a horror story. The moon was full, it was dark and windy, and it was silent.

_Leah, lets just turn back,_ Sam pressured quietly. Sam the right-hand man in my division, and the sixth ranking wolf in The Pack. We loved each other once before we found our true soul mates, and I respected him now as much as I did my own brother. But I had to decline.

_We've come too far, Sam,_ I reminded him, shaking my head. _We're too close to turn around now._

_There will be other chances,_ Jared pointed out from his position as look-out in the flanks of my pack. Jared was my best friend since we were toddlers. Both of them were frowning at me.

The younger wolves pawed at the ground and lowered their tails, whining agreeably. They were exhausted. Missing our families and our homeland. Disliking the mountain climate and being wolves for so long. We'd been in our shifted forms on-and-off for perhaps two months now.

_Besides, it's creepy here,_ Logan whined, getting a nod from Caleb. Logan and Caleb were the remaining two members of my personal pack within the pack.

Logan was seventeen years old, a mostly-white gray wolf when transformed. Caleb was fifteen, a big creature with a pelt matching my own. Caleb was younger, but outranked Logan. Logan was the omega of The Pack. He stuck with me because I tolerated him better than Jacob or Seth did.

The others didn't appreciate his fearful heart. Jared swung around and snarled, '_It's _creepy_ here?' Don't be a coward, Logan!_

He flinched away, slinking beside Caleb. Sam glanced at me and pressured with more firmness this time. _You must make your decision, Leah. You are our alpha female, and you know we'll keep going if you want. But is there really a point?_

I felt the others of the pack that were phased but not with us snap to attention at this question. I could feel Seth silently willingly me to put Sam in his place, and I felt the overwhelming wash of sympathy from the others for our hunting party.

Most of all I felt Jacob's eyes burning into me through the eyes of someone else. He wanted me to be strong and push onward, but he would not judge me harshly if I decided that it was best for us to resume the hunt another time.

We were hunting vampires. Our fathers had been, their fathers had been, and even _their_ fathers had been. For nearly three hundred years we had been at war with one coven in particular. Three months ago they struck down a senior pack member. It was the first time any of us, the newest generation of wolves, had come into direct contact with the beasts.

Paul and Quil tried to save our brother, Randy. They nearly died too. Jacob and Embry's arrival scared the assassins away. All of La Push mourned the loss of one of their protectors, a child the whole community had watched grow.

After planning, we divided into three groups and set to looking for these killers. This was the closest we'd ever gotten to catching them. I could taste their sharp scent clinging faintly to the air. And we couldn't let them escape.

_Yes, there is a point,_ I promised in confidence. We could go home tomorrow morning if we were not successful tonight.

They all fell silent as I pressed my nose to a bracken frond. A hasty male vampire had brushed up against it. I'd place the time at five minutes ago. With our speed, that was dangerously long. We were losing distance standing around and talking.

The wind changed direction and I felt my nose sting. The pack instantly perked up. Only one vile creature could make my eyes want to water - they were east. It was a very strong scent.

_We got them!_ Caleb cheered, whining excitedly and bouncing around with Logan.

Jared's tail wagged furiously and Sam started jittering around as he lifted his nose and sniffed the air.

_Focus!_ I growled sharply, and all four of them snapped into perfectly still figurines. Four intense sets of eyes locked onto me as they waited for the orders. The air had gotten colder, and I could smell snow. It was a clear night ten seconds ago.

_They know you've got them,_ Jacob growled suddenly, and we all fell mentally silent to listen to the wisdom of the alpha. _They're trying some trick to escape. Go after them, Leah! Go now!_

His previous calmness had swiftly turned to excitement. This was our chance to avenge our brother, and Jacob was not going to let us lose it. His command rang through my division and an unavoidable sense of urgency began to burn my paws.

_Fan out and follow me. Sam, take the flanks._ He was the strongest of us all. If we were ambushed from behind he could hold his own until we could help. I turned my head and darted forward, following this new lead as carefully as I could.

The snow hit us moments later. It wasn't like you'd think, a gentle sort of snow that people could take walks in. It was the heavy and hard kind that locks you into your houses overnight. We had barely made it fifteen meters before the blizzard was blinding-degree.

Jared's shoulders tensed with recognition when his sharp eye caught sight of a flash of ginger through the swirling cloud of white. I skidded to the side and charged after it; positive that was the vampire we had glimpsed twice this last month. His red hair was a strange sort of bronze that was hard to forget.

The glimpse was lost a moment later. There was no use using scent now. I looked down and my heart leapt with joy. Silently, I darted after the footprints left in the fast-deepening snow.

The male sprang up the side of the mountain we had reached the foot of. He had a friend with him. I growled, _Follow them up!_ We were so close I could already taste the creature's icy flesh in my jaws.

_Leah!_ Logan wailed suddenly, his voice shrill with terror. _I can't see anything! Where are you guys?_

I sprang onto the bottom-most boulder of the mountain. My desire to find and protect my lost brother almost made me turn around. Jared and Caleb faltered with me; only Sam breezed past and started struggling up the slippery rock so we didn't lose sight of our prey.

The darker half of instincts washed through me. Logan was just the omega wolf. If he couldn't keep up that was not my problem. I scrambled after Sam and tried to talk him through it. _Stay calm, Logan. Head for the mountains and you will find us._

_Which way is that?_ He asked nervously. I could see him glancing around as he tried to spot the looming gray mass we were heading deeper into. I saw it at the same time he did---a huge shape spring his direction. He yelped in surprise and darted the other way, barely avoiding the vampire's attack.

Panic flared inside of me and I wailed, _Sam, go back and help him!_

_But the others!_ Sam started to protest, his keen eyes locked onto the slower female as she slithered her way after the leader of the group we hunted.

Somewhere in the forest, above the sound of rushing wind and snow, we heard Logan squeal in fright. A second vampire, a female, had jumped in front of him. He turned a third direction and darted. Sam instantly whirled back the way we had come, taking dangerous leaps to make it down to our brother in time.

I reminded myself to concentrate. I had to recalculate the plan. _Jared, Caleb, stay close to me. If either of you find an opening to strike take it._

The boys shifted together, running shoulder to shoulder and three yards behind as if they were tied that way. We were in tight formation now, on an almost-flat stretch of the vast rocky range. My superior speed blew me to the heels of the fleeing vampires.

I had the chance to take out the female, but I passed it up. Jared was very close behind and maliciously intent on her. I kicked my muscles into hyper-gear and blasted forward. I heard the boys snarl as they jumped at the female vampire. They would have her in pieces before long.

I set my entire focus forward. There was a small crevice looming up ahead. His scent was smeared against the walls; he had slipped through it just moments ago. I surged between the rocks and nimbly made my way across the passage. I heard Jared slide in behind me before long, grunting as his broader shoulders got wedged in a few thinner places.

The two of us stumbled into an opening. There was less snow here; we were almost out of the other's range. I growled in frustration, _Where did he go?_

Just as I spoke, Jared tossed his muzzle to the side. _There!_ A black shoe was disappearing into a hole. There was a cave hidden behind a small shrub on the edge of a thin precipice. I swiftly stalked over there and got onto my belly, barely able to worm my way through. Jared was cut out of the mental field, but I heard him behind me. He must have had to un-phase to fit. Being the smallest in the pack had its perks.

I emerged to find us at a dead end. A closed cave. Jared sprang into wolf-form beside me. The vampire stood with his back against the stone, his eyes defiant but his face afraid. I snarled and prowled forward, feeling the aggression and dominance of the alpha crackling hot in my blood as I looked upon the cornered enemy.

_Leah, stop,_ Jacob demanded, his voice so sharp that even I was forced to halt—though my paws did not become bound to the stone I stood upon. He reminded me, _We need a live one for the ceremony. Sam has regrouped with Caleb and Logan; they are waiting for you outside of that ravine. Can you get him there so they can get him home?_

Anger struck me fiercely as I was denied the kill I lusted for. But we _did_ have a coronation coming up soon, and we _did_ require a live vampire for it. They were not easy to catch, and this one was in no position to escape.

_Yes, Jacob, I can get him to Sam_. I promised. _Prepare for our return_.

He disconnected as he returned to his human form, and Embry followed him. The other active pack members cheered for our victory as Jared got himself to the other end of the tunnel. I ran through the positions I wanted the others in as I shoved the vampire out to Jared. Logan was waiting there, summoned forward by me. Each of them grabbed one of the man's arms and they started leading him towards the ravine.

Sam waited on the other end, and Caleb had scrambled on top to thwart any attempts at an aerial escape as we made him walk towards the waiting wolf. He was not going anywhere. His female was up in smoke.

We won this round—and we were one step closer to winning our war.

* * *

**Jasper's POV**

We were all getting anxious. It had been too long since Edward's unit set out that we heard from them. Sometimes we went a week or two without talking when things got tense, but this was just bad. Three and a half weeks? Almost a month since we were contacted?

Phones. Emails. _Letters_. Some sort of communication would have put us at ease. Edward usually updated me every two or three days. Something had happened to him, I was sure of it.

"Jasper," My brother hissed into my ear, snapping me out of my thoughts. I glanced at Marcus, seeing that his deep red eyes reflected the worry in his tone. "You need to get a hold of yourself. You're leaking."

To outer ears, that would merit a double-take and a suspicious glance our direction. Maria and Renata, the other two within my unit, and Peter and Mike, the other unit leaders, didn't even falter in the conversation they were murmuring in the corner.

Marcus meant that my worry and my anxiety were rippling onto the others in the house. I knew he was right. I couldn't lose Edward, though. He was far too important to me, _far_ too important.

There was a thump followed a squeal downstairs. Charlotte wailed, "Jane, don't do that to him!"

I snapped my gaze onto Mike and ordered, "Go control your newborn." Immediately, my officer got to his feet and shadowed out of the room.

Mike Newton was a young man I had just happened to pick up along my travels, in particular near Ground Zero. He was very useful to me, not to mention obedient and loyal. He soared through my ranks almost as quickly as Edward, becoming my second-man in two short days.

Excitement shocked me from below and I heard Rosalie cheer, "Emmett!"

They were home!

I motioned for the others to come with me as I worked my way down the staircase of the fort. This fort was once a fair sized motel. It had two floors, and then a random attic nub.

I used the attic as a meeting room with the others, having made it virtually soundproof and hard to break into—without being seen that is. Nothing was physically hard for us to get past except for super-sensitive motion detectors. And I had those.

The second floor was used for actual housing for everyone. Mates got a large room to themselves; non-mated soldiers had a room of their own. We had two or three extra to toggle a flux of newborns.

The ground floors walls had been broken down, only necessary support beams remained. It was our training area, and where we gathered for meetings. Right now everyone was mulling about, looking forlorn as they gazed at four of our men in arms.

Four. Out of six. We were missing two. I felt horror stab Marcus when he saw who one of those two were, his mate Didyme. The other was Edward himself.

"What happened?" Maria asked quietly, coming to stand beside me.

"We nearly lost them in Denali. They chased us all the way from Whitehorse." Emmett reported promptly. He always was a good little soldier, when he did his job right. He rarely needed to be punished for mistakes.

I let my gaze land on Benjamin, curiosity crackling deep inside of me. He had his head low and he was simply radiating with guilt. I slowly slunk nearer to the unit as Tanya started to recount the events for me.

"Edward told us to hide in the mountains, because they would have a hard time finding us there." She explained. "There were five wolves, and we lost Alec after we scattered."

I let my gaze snap to the newborn, the twin brother of Jane. They were a bit older than Edward, at twenty-three, but they had been serving in the Air Force with him when I originally found him. Upon further investigation from Eleazar, we learned that they would be grand editions to _our_ army.

"How did you get lost?" I asked a bit angrily. Was it difficult for him, a trained man, to stay with his comrades?

"One of the enemies came very close to finding me, sir." He honestly answered. "I tried to lead him away from the others."

I returned my gaze to Tanya and asked, "And you three didn't realize this, so you sought him out and laid a trail for them?"

She looked away from my piercing glare. "Yes, Jasper."

"Edward and Didyme?" I inquired, getting annoyed with this story of incompetence. Annoyance was replaced with dread when a flash of regret hit them all at the same time.

Emmett was the one who answered, his voice sounding less bold than usual. "Edward knew they were following us and held her back, we suspect. We had concealed our scents downwind by traveling through water. The wind changed…"

He cut himself off with a wince and shook his head, taking a step away from me. Tanya had her eyes closed mournfully. I felt Marcus starting to get hysterical - we both knew someone had died and it was either Edward or his mate. Maybe both, as neither were here.

Ashamed with my soldiers' sudden weakness, I demanded, "Alec, tell me what happened."

He nodded once, doing so emotionlessly. "The wind carried Edward's scent right to the alpha female. Benjamin tried to stop them by making it blizzard, hoping they'd lose the trail. Emmett and Tanya almost got one, but the large male came and saved him. We were unable to locate either through the storm. By the time it had died down, Didyme was dead and they had taken Edward."

A strangled sort of sound came out of Marcus, and I sensed that Rosalie had shifted closer to try and comfort him. I snapped my glare directly onto Benjamin and snarled.

Felix appeared behind Benjamin and growled, forcing him to his knees in front of me---ready to stop him if he tried to escape. There were no emotions tipping me off to thoughts of betrayal or disloyalty like fleeing me. Just fear as I loomed over the soldier, rage burning inside of my core.

"This is your fault!" I accused harshly, enjoying the way he flinched from simply my tone of voice. Many of our ranks bore scars on them, permanent reminders of the cost of my anger. It was far greater than venom, but suffering was always the first step.

"I did what I thought was best." He defended himself, hesitantly looking up to meet my eyes.

I scowled and glared at him. He was cowering in my shadow. It was not like him, a serene and fearless member of this army, to do such a thing. I would expect he'd cross his arms and glare right back at me.

"You're lying," I suspected, quite correctly. "You panicked, and because of it my brother's mate is _dead_."

"Kill him!" Several of the others growled at the same time. Didyme was, unconsciously, loved by everyone. The shock and fury that was washing through the entire coven was admirable. None of it compared to the heartbreak I felt overpowering me from Marcus, but that was to be expected.

"Jasper!" Mike complained at my hesitation, his eyes and heart gentle. "Benjamin made a mistake, does that warrant death?"

"My sister died because of it." I spat so violently Mike flinched. "And Edward is being held captive, which is simply unacceptable. Do not speak in his favor, he doesn't deserve it."

The room fell silent; suspecting my moment of judgment was near. It was very rare indeed for such a monumental failure to occur. We lost newborns. We killed wolves. We did _not_ lose high-ranking men and senior members in the exact same day, on the exact same mission, because another senior member made a greenhorn mistake and failed to look ahead.

He had made a bad action, and there would be consequences to suffer.

I turned to my brother, my eyes silently asking him what he wanted to do. His mate, his decision. He glared at Benjamin for a long time, his heart warring between malice and forgiveness. Eventually he caved to his understanding side and shook his head.

No death. I had the next best thing, and _damn_ was she fun.

"Jane," I glanced at the ten-month-vampired woman. She smirked a little bit. Casting a vicious glare Benjamin's way, I hissed, "Take care of him. Make sure he understands that this will not be tolerated a second time."

Felix grabbed Benjamin's shirt and pulled him to his feet. He snarled in defiance and flailed, attempting to bite the monstrous man. Felix didn't have much trouble at all dragging him out of the room, with Alec bouncing close behind to subdue the dangerous avatar. They would head to the storage cellar out back.

I ignored them; I had more important people to worry about.

"We will get Edward back." I confidently stated to the others. They eyed one another, either disbelieving or curious.

"How can we draw the others away?" Mike asked. I could feel the immense trust he had, knowing I had a plan already.

"We won't." I answered darkly.

They took my sister's life. They shattered Marcus, who had been happy with Didyme for over a century now. I could feel him falling apart as the seconds passed by—now that the realization was really sinking in. They _kidnapped_ my most trusted partner and would probably kill him, if he weren't already dead.

There were lines that could be crossed, even in war. Lines we had just been avoiding, because that's what we were supposed to do. This felt like it crossed some. If they wanted to break all the rules, I was ready. I had always been ready, plotting and planning and just waiting for the perfect time to strike.

The time was now. If those kids thought they had seen real war before, they were wrong. We were just playing with squirt guns in the back yard. Now they would know pain, and loss, and what it felt like to be hopeless.

My aggressive and hateful thoughts were most definitely affecting the house. Growls, snarls, and whispers of wicked intentions were passing through the army. They wanted to fight and to kill as much as I did. They wanted to finally step out of the shadows and show those dogs what it was their ancestors were so terrified of.

"We will not lure them away." I repeated strongly, letting my eyes scan the crowd.

There was a thud from outside, followed by Benjamin's agonized scream echoing up from the cellar.

A wicked grin curled across my face. I leaned on the wall behind me and promised my coven, "We will rattle them at the core, and bring them falling on their knees."

* * *

**_A/N:_**_ Yup, this is my new story, guys! I love it something fierce, and I hope all of you will feel the same as the plot unfolds next chapter! :D_


	2. Chapter 2

**Alice's POV**

It was a nice day out, for the dead of winter. Small, fluffy flakes of snow were leisurely falling from the sky and landing upon the frozen ground. The air was cold, but it wasn't the temperature that threatened to freeze you down to your bones.

Not like _I_ had to worry about _that_ ever happening. If I got cold all I had to do was tell one of my brothers. They could hug me for three seconds and fix that problem. I considered all of the pack my family; I was so intertwined with them.

Jacob, my cousin, was the alpha of the pack. Of all the people in the world, I liked him the best. We grew up together; we lived in the same house still. Everyone in the community, even our own parents, considered him my brother.

Our friends from when we were little were wolves, too. Embry, Quil, and Paul. I liked Paul the most, even though our tempers clashed frequently. That made him more fun, though.

Leah was pretty much my sister-in-law, and one day she probably would be for real. She lived with us now that she was married to Jacob. They were having a house built near the heart of the town, but it wasn't really close to done yet. Her friends Jared and Sam were always hanging around when we were kids. They were the big-brother sorts to everyone.

The younger wolves I didn't have too close of relationships with. I had gone to school with Logan and Caleb, but they were both younger than I was.

Collin and Gary were cousins, and they were okay, but they were both too serious for me to really want to spend time with. Brady was just like Quil, and very lovable, but he liked to stick to the ones closer to his age.

And then, last but most certainly not least, there was Seth---my closest childhood friend, and my over-protective (sometimes feral seeming) love interest. I suppose that was expected, though, when he imprinted on me four years ago.

Speaking of Seth, he was standing under the tree I was currently situated it.. We were collecting firewood for Uncle Billy, because he took the last he had for the ceremony tonight.. A new wolf was possibly being induced into the pack. I was invited to come and watch for the first time.

"Do you need some help up there?" Seth asked me for the millionth time as I started swinging on one of the branches. I ignored him, as I had started doing after the third time he asked. If I needed help he'd be the first to know!

My weight shaking the old wood from side to side snapped the thick branch right off of the tree. We both tumbled downward. Seth caught me in his strong arms, and the wood clattered to the ground. Snow fell on top of us and I laughed, "Success!"

Seth smiled gently. He set me on my feet and laughed, "You can't just use an axe."

"Where's the fun in _that_?" I asked playfully. "I don't have an excuse for you to hold me if we used an axe."

His eyes glittered darkly and he leaned in close to me. He promised, "You don't need to fall from trees if you want me to hold you."

I felt myself blushing a little bit and we both smiled at each other. I was fifteen when he imprinted on me. Jacob was ecstatic. _Dad_ was almost giddy about it. Everyone in the pack was happy for us---except for me. At that age I looked at a boy and wanted to challenge him to see who could jump off the highest cliff. I _didn't_ want all that romantic stuff in my life.

I'd since gotten over it, and now we were sort of starting to fall in love. Just for fun, I liked to refer to it as _puppy love_. We all got a kick out of that. Seth was far from a puppy. He was an inch shorter than Jake when they were not phased, but he was bigger than Jake in wolf form. Dad said he was as big as great-grandfather Ephraim had been.

My dad was Carlisle Black. He was born a Cullen, orphaned as a toddler in Canada. He told me once that Ephraim---who was his and Uncle Billy's father figure since Grandpa Matthew died when Billy was little---had been contacted by family and asked to come get him. Dad felt for Billy like I did for Jake. He was so young when he came here, that he said he'd never once felt like he wasn't actually born a Black.

Seth's arms stiffened a little and his head snapped to the side. I followed his gaze curiously. He announced, "Hey, that's Leah's scent! The division is almost home!"

"Let's go greet them!" I excitedly demanded as I ducked out of his grip and abandon our firewood. We'd come back for it later. I started up the hill, towards the edge of the forest. Seth scampered after me and it wasn't long before we were standing just on the edge of the forest behind the house.

The others came into view a few seconds later. Leah, Jared and Logan were walking as humans. Caleb and Sam were in their wolf form, holding onto their vampire. It was the first I've ever seen.

Did they all look that … _wild_?

His hair was muddy and very disheveled. He was wearing a bloodstained, dirty shirt that had such large tears in it I could see the sparkling skin of his chest and stomach. There was a pale, rugged looking scar gouged deeply onto his neck. It shined unnaturally in the sunlight. I felt my heart skip a beat when his head turned my direction, and a pair of horrifically red eyes pierced through me.

Seth wrapped an arm around me and pulled me closer to him as my heartbeat began to speed up. The vampire's eyes swirled darker and darker within seconds, turning black as he heaved in a deep breath.

A crooked smile twitched it's self onto his face and asked in a silken voice, "Mm, that one smells _delicious_. Twice as good as Mike."

Caleb's fur bristled and he growled warningly. Jared and Logan both glanced at the vampire, their eyes hostile. He looked absolutely amused with the knowledge it took to little to rile them up.

I knew the story of Mike. He was a Forks resident, who spent a lot of time here in La Push during his young life. He had been a pretty close friend to Leah. When she found out they took him … things were bad for a while.

The creature's face tightened and he growled suddenly, making me shiver. He hissed, "Why don't you come over here and let me have a taste, girl? It'll only hurt for three days."

Sam snarled, and the grip he had on the man's arm tightened. A terrible screeching noise shattered the air and I heard frightened birds flying away. The vampire howled in agony as his arm started splintering, almost breaking off his body.

"Stop messing around and get him to the others!" Leah ordered sharply. Sam let his jaw relax and the pained look on the creature's face faded away as my brothers half-yanked him along. Jared and Logan still followed.

Leah had come to stand with us. Seth asked her tensely, "Was he a lot of trouble to get home?"

"See the tears on his shirt? He almost escaped us twice. He came very close to biting Jared when they were restraining him." She frowned deeply, her eyes looking troubled. After a second she glanced at Seth. "I need you to do something for me. Find Paul and have him bring Willow to the Chamber. Jacob says we will begin as soon as she is ready."

Leah blasted into her wolf form, darting after her fading unit. I glanced at Seth with wide eyes and gasped, "Willow Blackwell? _She's_ the new wolf?" She was just a kid! She just celebrated her thirteenth birthday a few weeks ago!

"The blood is strong in her." Seth answered casually. "She _is_ Paul's little sister. She volunteered." I shook my head, unhappy. He assured me, "It's for the good of the entire tribe, Alice."

_For the good of the tribe._ I guess I understood that. Even the youngest of kids knew the legends of the werewolves. When a child was old enough to learn the importance of not letting anyone outside of the community know, they learned that the werewolves were real and protecting the community. They were risking their lives for the good of the tribe.

I couldn't argue logic I'd always been taught, logic my closest family and friends devoted themselves to. So I just took Seth's hand and idly chatted with him as we made our way towards Paul's house.

* * *

Only a select few of us were in the Chamber, which was just a small room connected to the town's Great Hall where the coronation took place. A very select few of us were permitted to attend, even within the pack.

Mr. and Mrs. Blackwell were here. Uncle Billy, dad, and Harry were here, and I was here. Jacob, Brady, Collin, and Quil were here as well. Paul was with Willow, helping her prepare.

Embry was on the opposite end of the room with the vampire. His arms were bent behind his back and Embry was holding them there, effectively restraining the monster. He stood rigid, staring straight ahead. Unblinking, not breathing, absolutely still. It was almost as if we had encased him in a shell of cement or something. There was some sort of metal gag in his mouth. I figured it was either to keep him quiet, or stop him from biting.

"Jake," Uncle Billy called out over the whispers and small talk rattling through the congregated people. "It's time."

Jacob nodded to Quil. The senior pack member turned the lights down, so that it was barely torch-flicker looking inside the room. I felt myself bubbling with excitement and Collin and Brady exchanged anticipation-filled glances. Jacob settled onto a mat in the center of the room as Quil went to the back to retrieve Paul and Willow.

The bulky male returned a moment later, coming to stand beside Embry and taking one of the vampire's arms. Paul had a rectangular cloth wrap in one hand as he led his younger sister out into the main room. She pranced proudly after him as they came to sit with Jacob on mats in the center of the room.

The cloth was handed to Jacob. He held it and looked directly at Willow, his eyes more intense than usual. His voice had a sort of darkness to it that I wasn't used to hearing. "Willow, you approached me yesterday and expressed your wish to join the pack of La Push, and become a protector for your people."

Willow's eyes glittered and she nodded with enthusiasm. Paul was staring at her, an affectionate smile on his face but his eyes sad. I was confused by this confliction in my friend.

Jacob's rumbling voice distracted me from my thoughts, forcing me to pay attention. "The sleeping genes that lie deep within you have been awakened, Willow. With the presence of this _monster_," Jake's eyes flashed to the vampire for a brief moment. "Your transformation has begun."

I felt myself wanting to cheer for her, but I didn't dare break the thick silence that had settled in around the room. Jacob was unwrapping his cloth, and my eyes widened when I saw there was a knife within it. He held it up for all to see. It was an old looking sort of steel, and the blade was stained with a few shades of old blood. The handle was a howling wolf's head carved from elk horn.

Jacob's voice rang clearly in the quiet room. "Ephraim Black, the very first there ever was to fight for this tribe, made this with his own hands. Willow, hold your palm out."

Paul's jaw tightened. Willow just calmly squared her shoulders and lifted her arm so that her palm was facing Jacob. I flinched for her when he pressed the blade against her skin and dragged it horizontally, ripping the flesh open.

An instant, guttural snarl bubbled slowly from the throat of the vampire. Quil and Embry just held onto him so he couldn't escape. Willow didn't even bat an eyelash at the sound that made _me_ shiver. She sat still, looking expectantly at Jake as her blood dripped onto the floor.

Jacob sliced his own hand open in the same fashion. He pressed his massive hand against Willow's, and their fingers intertwined. I felt shock thrill through me when I realized what he had just done.

He recited a phrase that I had heard the others call out to each other from time to time, but I didn't know what it meant because I didn't speak Latin. "Frater in cruor, insquequo terminus."

"Frater in cruor … insquequo terminus," Willow whispered back, her eyes wide with wonder.

Jacob smiled, withdrawing his hand from hers. He glanced at it, watching it as it healed its self three or four seconds later. Paul hugged his sister, and then led her over to my dad. He was waiting with small first aid kit. She didn't have the healing abilities just yet. The three of them situated themselves at his table, their attention on Jake as dad cleaned and started to bandage the wound.

Jacob was on his feet once again, and he was pacing the room slowly as he started to talk. "Alice, Willow, you both know much about our sort of world. But do either of you know how this all began? How these vampires, these _demons_, started the war with our peaceful community?"

We both shook our heads. Jacob glared directly at the vampire, who held his hateful gaze without flinching. Jacob almost seemed to growl as he spoke, "It was three hundred years ago that Ephraim was _forced_ into becoming the very first werewolf anyone around had ever come into contact with."

Jacob turned around, his eyes darting between myself and Willow as he spoke. "He didn't have a clue what was happening to him. His body started to change, he started acting differently. Suddenly the day of the transformation arrived---and he had no prior knowledge or warning before he just exploded into his wilder form."

His heart-felt tone and flashing eyes painted a very vivid and emotional mental picture for me. I could _swear_ that I saw the tall, sturdy russet man prowling through the forest after a deer---spear in hand and wolf skin cloak across his back---when suddenly he crumpled over and a tremor ran along his spine. The sound of tearing flesh could be heard as the crumpled body was replaced with the sleek-furred, magnificent silver giant that my great-grandfather once was.

I gave myself a shake. I was being silly, and letting my imagination get the best of me. I'd never asked for stories of Ephraim's turn. He could have been on the beach or even at the market when it happened. Besides, why would he have been silver-furred when Jacob was russet and Uncle Billy had been a very dark gray?

I felt the vampire's eyes burning into me all of the sudden. I tried to ignore the unwelcome feeling it brought by totally focusing on Jacob.

He was crooning sadly, "Poor Ephraim was terrified. Could you girls _imagine_ what that would be like? To suddenly just be a wolf that was larger than any bear in that time? He had thought he went mad. And then the other two, Levi Uley and Ardell Clearwater showed up and they were just relying on him to help them when he couldn't even help himself."

He paused for dramatic effect before whispering, "It was panic. It was chaos. It was frightening. These poor, innocent young men didn't even know how to phase back to human. They were mentally falling apart. And why?"

The other wolf boys all looked tense and angry. They knew what came next. I was surprised to see that even dad looked unhappy, and he was almost constantly smiling. He liked to find the best in even bad situations. What could possibly come next to made him frown?

Jacob jerked his arm towards the vampire. "_That_ is why. Because one of those vile monsters were lurking within the shadows of the town, threatening the well being of the tribe. He was stalking our people, calculating which target he wanted to brutally murder for his own amusement."

My stomach clenched with horror and I glanced nervously at the vampire. He was still leering at me, which made me squirm in my chair a bit and instantly wish Seth was beside me.

"Did the leech kill someone?" Willow asked, sounding horrified. Her eyes had a slightly haunted look in them. I remembered that she was one of the kids that found Aunt Sarah's body in the park eight years ago. She'd have been five---it was no doubt a traumatic memory. She probably wouldn't like being reminded of it.

Jake's full attention snapped onto her, his eyes dark. "Yes, he did. He tore her throat out and sucked every single drop of blood from her body. Ephraim then knew that the vampires were evil, un-natural creatures that we have an obligation to eliminate. In honor of that dead woman, for the good of the tribe, Ephraim declared to the Gods that his descendants would not rest until every last one of these murderers were defeated."

I had gotten so drawn into the story that I felt my heart skip a few beats when there was a sudden, loud thump within the room. The metal piece that the vampire had been biting onto had been snapped in half by his murderous jaws and clattered to the ground. Jacob turned around to face him, his harsh brown eyes narrowing suspiciously.

The vampire looked up at Jacob through his eyelashes, a humored grin spreading across his face. He laughed once, "Well that is _quite_ the interesting interpretation of that story. Not exactly how _I_ heard it happened."

Jacob's body tensed and he spat, "Nobody wants to hear your _lies_, bloodsucker."

The vampire jerked his chin up, his eyes blazing with excitement from the challenge. He tsk'd loudly and shrugged once. "My story is a lot more fun. It's okay that you don't want to hear it. I don't have the time to tell it to you, anyway."

Without warning, very unexpectedly, three pale shapes cannon-balled through the roof and landed so hard they splintered little craters into the ground.

A female was the first to move after landing. She grabbed Quil and Embry's arms---the ones restraining the other vampire. Both of them yelped, as they were suddenly jolted across the room. The tall black haired male grabbed the one Jake had been holding prisoner and they fled.

Jacob growled and made a move towards the two remaining creatures. Before he got two inches, the wood on the ceiling cracked again and a third male appeared on the scene, crouching three feet in front of where I was pressed up against the wall.

He was possibly _worse_ than the most menacing and alarming creature I had _ever_ been able to image as a child. Even as the young adult I was, when my knowledge of horrible things was broader.

His threatening burgundy eyes glinted with a light of bravado that made it obvious this male was not feigning the air of power that was pulsated off of his strong, dangerous body. A shirtless body that was just overwhelmed with the same sort of scars as the kind that was on the redhead's neck. The blond man's eerily white teeth glimmered as his lips pulled back and a snarl more savage than I'd ever heard before rumbled steadily out from the depths of his chest.

Mouth a-gape and eyes simply bewildered with the surprise of this swift and abrupt attack, Jacob actually stumbled away from this formidable creature. I was unable to look away from the demon as he pushed himself into the upright position. A small female appeared at his side, her hand pressing timidly against his back.

My heart started doing something really weird the moment those inhuman red eyes turned to meet mine. I wasn't sure if it was trying to gallop out of my chest with fear, or if it was actually so petrified it stopped working all together. I felt it constrict with terror as the male slowly closed the small distance between us.

Forget breathing or heartbeats, I couldn't even think through the fog of fear that swirled in my mind

A quiet, chilling growl slipped through his hard-pressed lips as he loomed over me. I shuddered and fleetingly hoped I wasn't cowering. I'd be okay with cringing and trembling, but if I _cowered_ in my final seconds of life I would die in shame.

The last thing I remember before the blackness came was a sharp, sudden pain cutting into my cheek, and my dad desperately crying my name.


	3. Chapter 3

**Jacob's POV**

The pack was in a panic.

Vampires, the lowest form on non-life in existence, had infiltrated the very heart of our town. Our safe haven of sorts. They had gotten very bold very quickly, considering that a little over a year ago the closest they'd come was the farthest corner of Forks. Bolder _and_ more fearsome.

I shivered to myself when I thought about the look of that blonde male. He had seemed so strong, so dangerous, so _deadly_---that all I was mentally able to do was back away from him in shock. It was that very display of cowardice that got Alice kidnapped. My cousin who I was closer to than my very own sisters.

Leah set her hand on my shoulder, looking down at me from where I sat with sympathetic eyes. She promised me, _It's not your fault, Jake_.

Leah and I had a special sort of communication system. The day we imprinted on each other the mental link binding our minds as one heightened. It didn't only work when we were phased, we could hear and talk to each other silently _all_ _the time_. It was a very special and wonderful thing, always being able to understand what the other wanted and needed without having to ask. Literally just knowing, because we could hear and feel each other all the time.

I found no comfort in her words. I hung my head and looked away. I know that I didn't ask for this to happen, but that didn't mean it was not my fault. I told Leah to spare the vampire, the one they came to get back. I'm the one who invited Alice to the coronation, and stepped _away_ from her at the moment she needed me the most.

Leah had known something was going on, so she rallied the others and they made it here less than two minutes after the attack. I had taken Embry and Quil to pursue the vampires---leaving Paul in charge of the younger wolves and our families until Leah arrived. We had been unable to catch them, and it was all my fault!

It proved to be very difficult to focus on guilty thoughts when, as mentioned earlier, the pack was panicking all around me. We had ushered Willow and her parents home, and collected the rest of the tribe elders. They were now muttering to one another heatedly in the far corner of the room.

Every single pack member revolved around Leah and myself, just freaking out. They were shouting at each other over needless technicalities.

"Why didn't you help Jacob?" Sam demanded to know, his hot brown glare locked onto Paul, the most experienced wolf who had been at the coronation with me. Sam was answered by a growl from the higher-ranking male.

"Why didn't _you_ catch them when you chased after them?" Caleb snapped at Embry and Quil. Not one to be disrespected by the lesser pack mates, Quil whirled around on Caleb like he was going to phase and attack. Jared and Gary grabbed him to hold him back.

The act of aggression flared the tempers of every one of my brothers and they all started spitting threats at one other. All but one, the only one who mattered to me right now. My actual brother by marriage.

Seth was standing alone in the shadowy corner of the room, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. His face was twisted with horror and his eyes were as blank as a dead man's as he gazed at the sky through the holes in the ceiling. Seeing him so dazed seemed to snap my mind back into reality. Alice was his imprintee. If Leah had been kidnapped, I wouldn't want to be sitting around listening to my brothers fight with each other just because they were scared and confused.

I ran my fingers though my hair and pinched my eyes closed. My voice was rough with impatience when I ordered, "Everyone shut up!"

The pack instantly fell silent, all eyes turned onto me---even those of the council members. I lifted my head and barked out orders. "Paul, take the others in my division and sweep the town, Forks included. If you even _think_ you see a vampire find it and kill it."

Paul nodded once before darting across the room and jumping out the window. The wolves that were assigned to my particular sub-division of the pack hastily went after him. Embry, Quil, Gary, and Brady.

Seth protested, "That's all we're doing?"

"We have to secure the area." I reminded him patiently.

He growled and stalked closer to me, shoving Logan out of his way before coming to a halt three feet in front of where I sat. His eyes were desperate and he begged, "Let's go after them, Jacob. We can still catch them. We can get her back!"

"No, Seth." Leah declined gently. "They'd have gotten too far. Besides, they're probably laying false trails to throw us off. We'll never know which scent would lead us to Alice."

"So we're going to sit here and do _nothing_?" He wailed, his voice anguished.

I stood up and patted his back, attempting to soothe him. "Everything is going to be fine, Seth. Just calm down and trust me. I won't ever stop looking for her. I'll go to the heart of the Amazon if that's where she is."

My beta hesitated for a moment before nodding at me. He took a deep breath to relax himself and pitifully shuffled over to the others.

"Everyone go home and get some rest." I ordered firmly. "We will plan search routes tomorrow morning."

"What are we doing, Jake?" Leah asked me quietly. I knew she was willing to do anything I needed her to.

I couldn't stop myself from smiling at her, no matter how sad that smile may have been. "You're as tired as the rest of them, you just got back from your mission. You need to sleep, too."

She sighed before giving my hand a small squeeze and leading the others out of the building. I went over to the council elders, silently waiting to hear if they had come up with anything.

Dad reported, "We were discussing why they took her."

I tensed a little bit, but nodded for them to go on. Harry Clearwater tossed out his idea first. "We think it was some sort of a statement, if not simply revenge. A message that we can't hold any of _them_ hostage without losing something of _ours_."

"That doesn't make sense." I mused aloud. "She's human, and they'd have been able to clearly smell that. Her scent is so different from ours."

"But she is important to us." Dad reminded me, as if he needed to. "They would instantly know that. Why else would she, someone who is not a wolf, be at a coronation for a new wolf?"

My Uncle Carlisle shook his head slowly. I gave him my undivided attention. I loved my dad, but I had a deep-rooted respect for my uncle that made me want to hang onto every shred of wisdom he could offer me, especially at a time like this.

"It was just... too fast for that." He muttered under his breath, his eyebrows deeply furrowed as he wracked his brain with whatever thoughts he happened to be thinking. "He came, he saw her, and he grabbed her and left. He didn't fight; she didn't do anything to draw attention onto herself. He couldn't have _possibly_ decided to use her as an example. He just spontaneously grabbed her."

"She does have quite sweet smelling blood..." Harry said before trailing off nervously because three hostile sets of eyes glared at him.

He was wrong. He had to be wrong. They wouldn't bite Alice. They _couldn't_ bite her, they just couldn't! She didn't do anything to them, today was the first time she'd ever even seen a vampire! Would that monster really kill her? Or worse---turn her into one of... _them_?

A deep, dangerous snarl bubbled out from deep within my chest. Anyone walking past the building right now could honestly say they thought a very upset wolf was trapped inside. Basically, that was true. Just with a few genetic differences.

I jumped in surprise when a warm, pale hand was set on my crossed forearm. I quieted down as my eyes trailed up it, looking right at the very worried face of my uncle. His big green eyes were watering a little bit and he whispered, "Jake, you _have_ to get her back. I need my little girl back."

My heart broke all over again and I took a step closer, enveloping Carlisle in a tight hug. I promised him darkly, "I'm going to bring her back to you, even if it kills me."

We drifted away from each other and shared a long, intense look. He was a doctor, having graduated medical school and earned his degree. He minor in veterinary for the sole purpose of being able to patch us pack boys up when we were really hurt. He had seen quite enough gore and tragedy to know how ominous that promise really was.

There was a good possibility I _would_ die fighting the fiends to rescue my cousin. It was a chance I would happily take if it meant prying her away from them and bringing her back where she belonged.

Dad leaned back in his wheelchair and looked up at Carlisle, who was his baby brother in every respect of the terms. He spoke gently when he said, "Come on, Carlisle. I'll go back home with you and help you tell Esme what's happened."

They shared a pained look. I felt my heart stir, but I made no move to dissuade them. I didn't offer to tell my aunt myself about her only daughter's untimely kidnap. My uncle would never let me, and we both knew if he insisted on something he was going to have his way about it.

I just watched them leave before getting into Harry's car with him and traveling back to the house. I knew he was saying some encouraging words to me, but I didn't hear any of them. I was too focused on my own personal thoughts as I plotted how we would find and rescue my Alice, and how we would destroy that army once and for all.

* * *

**Alice's POV**

I drifted in and out of awareness every few seconds. I couldn't remember _why_ I was unconscious in the first place, but my _sub_conscious was telling me that I was trying to wake up from that darkness. My body was numb, my scenes almost non-existent, and my vision was totally black.

I heard myself breathing. Then there was nothing. I felt myself startle awake, and my blurry eyes saw extremely fuzzy glimpses of color. Nothing again. My ears picked up on my breathing for a second time. A dull sort of pressure on my left cheekbone suddenly, without warning, exploded and throbbed so angrily it yanked my mind into total awareness.

I snapped my head up and sharply took in a breath, blinking wildly to clear my vision. The room stopped spinning a moment later and I looked around, wondering where I was. None of the cabins in La Push I'd ever visit had walls constructed from dark gray mason stone.

The pain on the side of my face demanded my entire attention. I pushed aside the wonder of where I was and winced as I lifted my arm to rub my cheek. Shock jolted through me when that whole lifting the arm thing didn't happen. I glanced down to find that my wrists were tied to the chair I was sitting on. A quick half-writhe let me know that my ankles were also stuck, _and_ there was a thick cloth strap around my waist that bound me to the back of the chair.

Naturally, the first thing I did was mentally panic. I was quite too astonished to do anything, think anything. I simply sat there gazing at the binds for a few long seconds. Every single horror movie I'd ever watched, every news snippet heard or seen, every dark story my dad told me to scare me off the streets at night---it was flashed in my mind at the same instant. I had no idea where I was, and I was tied to a chair.

I glanced back up, suddenly desperate to find a way to escape. I didn't know what was going on, but all of the sensors in my brain told me I needed to flee possible danger. I quickly scanned the room, and my eyes came to settle on a piercing pair of rubies.

_Broken ceiling, fear, vampire._

_Snarling, scars, burning eyes._

_Raised arm, pain, darkness._

It all flashed back before my eyes like I was watching the terrible memories on a movie screen. I was plagued with the happenings at the coronation, and I bit my lip and quickly turned my head away from the set of eyes. I didn't want to drown in those un-natural lakes of blood.

There was a muted buzzing noise from across the room. I cautiously peeked sideways, feeling tears sting my eyes when I saw there were _three_ of those demons sitting in the corner of the room. Their lips were moving quickly, producing the odd humming that had caught my attention.

A pretty brunette with a willowy build much like my own was the first to get to her feet. She has fierce, piercing eyes and was perhaps a half of a foot taller than myself. She swept out of the room without a glance in my direction, for which I had no objection.

Once I looked at the vampires, I couldn't take my eyes off of them. Sunlight was filtering through the little window beside them, making the female glitter. She was so beautiful, and pleasing to look at. I wanted to be disgusted with the un-naturalness at the same time I wanted to touch her arm.

Said female, who looked like an older and softer version of me---with her white-blonde hair that was not to her shoulders, her thin and petite build, and from the looks of her same height---leaned closer to the male and asked him something too quietly for me to hear.

The male was almost impossible to see. He wore all black and sat in the dark shadow of a very large armoire. He looked displeased with whatever he had been asked, but gave a sharp nod of confirmation to the female.

She stood up and walked a few feet closer to me, though she stopped a small distance away when I shrank backwards. She smiled a bright, inviting smile as she gazed down at me. Her voice was startlingly perfect when she spoke. "Do you need anything to be more comfortable?"

I sat there silently, staring at her critically. Was she serious? After a couple seconds of silence I decided she was. I spat with as much venom as possible, "You could untie me."

Her smile just brightened, and she giggled. Oh how incredibly irksome, she was one of _those_.

"I'm afraid that isn't possible." She answered, as if I had suspected anything different. She suggested lightly, "How about a glass of water, and perhaps an aspirin?"

My throat was quite scratchy and dry, and my face hurt something terrible. Moving my mouth made it worse, and I suspected the bone was cracked. I didn't want anything from these monsters, though. The water would be drugged or the pill some sort of poison. I simply turned my head away and glared at the wall.

Her irritatingly happy voice responded, "I'll go and get them for you." She pranced out of the room, leaving me alone with the creepy man in the shadows.

I tried plotting an escape. Two of the three were gone. I could get rid of the third one, right? I looked at him and asked as innocently as I could manage, "Would it be possible for you to get me an ice pack or something? My face hurts really bad."

The gleaming red eyes softened a little bit, if that were even possible. I watched as the guy stood up and stepped out of the shadows. He towered at six-foot-five, and had shoulders so broad and strong he would give Jacob a run for his money. His curly brown hair fell into his eyes as he stopped in front of me, looking down. I was lost in his shadow as he blocked the view of the small window.

I couldn't stop from flinching when he raised his big hand and stretched it towards me. He ignored my frightened reaction and gently set his fingers against my cheek. I gasped and instinctively moved away. It was so cold!! Like walking barefoot in the snow!

Brow furrowing unhappily, the beastly man shifted his arm with my face and set his hand back on my wounded cheek. It took a few seconds for the coldness to become comforting to the painful skin, but when it did I sheepishly leaned in a little. He didn't speak, but he didn't have to for me to figure out this was his version of an ice pack.

It ruined my plans at somehow getting out of the chair and out the window, but that was all right I supposed. Judging by the way I couldn't see the roots or the tops of the trees outside, we were on the second floor of a building. I'd only get hurt leaping out to the ground.

I needed to think of a better plan.

The door opened again, and I flickered my eyes sideways. Blondie was back, carrying a glass of ice water. I pulled away from the cold hand so I could turn my head and watch her approach. She announced, "I've sent somebody for the aspirin. I've got you something to drink, though."

I watched her as she reached down and started to unfasten the tie on my left wrist. The man growled, "Charlotte, what are you doing?"

The woman, Charlotte, paused and glanced up at the other vampire. She answered cheerfully, "It's okay. She's not going anywhere."

I felt myself deflate a little bit. Was my escape really _that_ hopeless?

Charlotte freed my wrist and held out the glass. I hesitated before taking it from her, peering suspiciously at the water. No discoloration. No bubbles. No odd smell. I grudgingly accepted that they had probably not drugged it, and I took a sip. It felt good sliding down my throat.

The brunette returned, hovering in the doorway. The other two gave her their attention immediately. She glanced at me once before reporting, "Jasper said to leave her for him to tend to."

Neither seemed to object. Charlotte joined the brunette and they disappeared. The large man looked back down at me and said, "I have to retie your wrist."

"Is that really necessary?" I asked angrily, not at _all_ liking the idea of being tied to a chair when I was going to be alone with this Jasper character sometime soon. I added bitterly, "It's not like I'm going anywhere, right?"

I was ignored. He set my water glass on the floor beside me and pushed my arm down to where he wanted it. I growled at him, I didn't like being treated like a rag doll! Again, he ignored my slight protest as he rebound my left wrist.

"That's too tight." I complained loudly, straining my arm. "It hurts!"

Rolling his eyes, he loosed it a little bit before leaving and closing the door behind him. I smirked a little, quite smug with how that played out. I wiggled my wrist a little bit, yanking it free of the tie. My wrists were tiny, all I needed was a small area to move around in and I could get my hand out of anything. The vampire had given me just that. _Hah_.

I tugged at the cloth around my other wrist until the knot came undone and I had full use of both my arms. The thick strap around my waist was the next to go. I was careful to grab it and set it down, rather than let it drop to the floor and thump. I didn't want attention drawn to myself. I hastily freed my ankles before standing up and darting across the room. As quickly as I dared, I pulled the door open and peeked into the hallway.

It was empty, stretching shortly in either direction. I saw a staircase at one end, and a half-open door with a bright light inside at the other. I wanted to flee down the stairs and out the front door. But that would be stupid; _they_ were probably downstairs if they were not up here. I slipped out of the door way and quietly slithered down the hall. My heart was thundering in my chest as I pushed the door at the end of the hall open and stepped inside.

It was... a bedroom?

The floor was not stone in this room, but a dark walnut wood. The walls were paneled with shade of hickory that blended well with the floor and furniture.

The furniture in question started with the huge oak bed that dominated the room. A clothes chest was settled at the foot, open and totally empty. The singular window claimed almost the entire north wall. There was a long, old-fashioned chaise lounge right in front of the window. It was made out of an expensive looking red fabric.

A bookcase taller and wider than me stood beside the headboard of the bed. Finally, there was a huge fireplace to the left of where I stood, with an old rocking situated on a bear-skin rug in front of it.

It was a shocking contrast from the room I just escaped from. I couldn't help but wander farther inside and poke around. I ended up at the edge of the bed, pushing on it curiously to find that it was incredibly soft. The blankets that were carefully folded onto the mattress were real fur. I shivered with horror when I realized it was a wolf pelt. Sick and twisted much, vamps?

"Do you like it in here?" An eerily quiet voice asked from behind me. Gasping, I whirled around to face the newcomer. Only I did it too fast and ended up falling backwards onto the bed.

My mouth fell open and my heart clenched with terror when I saw the creature blocking the doorway. He had a pale blue shirt on, but I didn't need to see the horrific marks all over his body to recognize him. Powerful shoulders, curly honey-blonde hair, a pair of intense red eyes. This was the vampire that kidnapped me, and now he was back again and staring me down.

I knew I couldn't sit helplessly and say nothing, but my mind didn't want to speak. His expectant gaze shoved me into coherency and I whispered, "I-I'm sorry I left the other room." I couldn't find the willpower to act sort of defiant with him like I had with the others. He just looked too damn dangerous to mess with. I didn't _want_ to die.

The man smiled at me, and I had never once seen a smiling person look so very uninviting. I felt my heart beat sharply in my chest with fear as he started walking closer to me, prowling like a lion that was stalking it's small, defenseless prey.


	4. Chapter 4

I felt my heart catch in my throat when the vampire sat on the bed beside me, his body so close I could feel the icy cold radiating off of his leg. I kept my eyes trained on the floor and we were totally silent for a while. Through my peripherals I saw his head tilt a little bit. He quietly informed me, "I asked you a question."

"D-did you?" I whispered shakily, wracking my brain to try and remember what this apparent question had been.

"Do you like it in here?" He asked, and I realized that's what he said in the doorway.

I might have tried to answer him if he had just been sitting still. Instead, he leaned in close to me and hovered his nose by my neck. I felt tears starting to spill from my eyes when his cool lips pressed against my artery. I didn't dare jerk away from him; I'd heard enough through the werewolves about vampire behavior to know he'd attack me.

"Please don't hurt me." I whimpered, squeezing my eyes shut. I didn't even know who he was, or where I was, or _why_ I was here. Did I deserve to be murdered by my mortal enemy? I couldn't think of anything I'd done to deserve such a lowly fate.

He laughed quietly, a rough and harsh laugh. I was startled by the contrast when he spoke in a smooth, warm tone. "Dear, sweet Alice, of course I would never harm you."

"How do you know my name?" I asked without thinking. I didn't even realize that I was officially having a conversation with my kidnapper.

He smiled at me, a rather soft smile. I was not fooled, though. I could see how hard and dead his eyes looked, and did not allow myself to believe he was actually friendly. I knew what _his kind_ was capable of. He simply supplied me with an answer that only inspired a million more questions. "I know a lot about you, Alice."

The atmosphere seemed to have thinned out considerably since when he first walked in the door. Instead of the smothering, thick cloud of fear hanging over my head, we both seemed to be extremely serene. I concluded that if I wanted to last long with him, I had to keep him happy and preoccupied. So... what was it he had asked me earlier?

Right!

"The room in very beautiful." I admitted with quiet admiration. It had a certain sort of old-style charm to it that made me all soft and bubbly inside.

"Good," he answered, "It's yours then. I had intended for it to be from the start, of course. I'll make any renovations you desire."

The pair of us fell silent. He was leering at me so thoughtfully with those eyes… I had to look away from him. I focused on the floor, watching him carefully in the corner of my eye. He threw me for a loop when he suddenly apologized, "I'm sorry about striking you. Please forgive me, I was not thinking. The heat of the moment swept my good sense away."

Only because he reminded me did the splitting pain on my face flare back to life. I raised my hand and hesitantly brushed the very tips of my fingers over the laceration. It was a _bad_ idea. The fire worsened the moment my salty flesh came into contact with the raw wound. I felt warmth and moistness on my hand and pulled my arm away. Looking down, I saw my blood lightly coating the tops of my three fingers.

The man reached forward, gently wrapping his cold hand around my tiny wrist. I sat motionless as he pulled my arm closer to him, raising it up to his chin-level. His eyes locked into my own and he whispered, "It was a lot worse earlier."

_Unconscious in the arms of the blonde man. Face, neck, shirt---glistening with a sheen of red. New shirt off to the side, wash cloth in blonde man's hand._

"You cleaned me up." I muttered unconsciously. It took me a few seconds before I realized what I said. I blinked in confusion, feeling my eyebrows furrowing at myself. Why did I just say that?

"Yes, I did." He agreed quietly.

_Wait, what_? I instinctively looked down at my shirt, and wouldn't you know it, it was not the one I had worn to the coronation. It was the one that I had just... seen?

"You're confused." He told me. Yes, _told_ me. He sounded entirely too sure of himself to have been guessing.

I said nothing. I was growing unnerved by this experience. It was all becoming a little too much for me to process. Waking up in some place, not knowing what these monsters wanted with me, sitting right beside the thing that took me and talking idly with him. Talking with him while his body was touching mine, his eyes boring into me, his cool breath trailing down my arm to my shoulder.

"Today has been hard on you." The man suddenly realized, on par with my thoughts yet again. "We will speak more tomorrow. We'll get this blood off of you, and then you can sleep."

My eyes drifted down to my hand again, which he had drawn quite close to his nose. (I assume, so he could smell it, of all the unnatural things!) I asked in utter disgust, "Are you going to… lick it off?"

He laughed, such a bitter tang clinging to the deep baritone cords that I had to wonder what I said to inspire such an emotion in him. He slowly uncurled his hand from my wrist and answered, "No, Alice, I am not going to lick it off."

I was crazy for not remaining silent, but I couldn't help from asking, "Why not? Isn't that what you do?"

He gazed at me for a while before smirking, half of his face curling upwards evilly and his eyes burning. "Not your blood. Nobody is _ever_ going to taste your blood."

He got up from the bed, and suddenly he was no longer in the room. Before I realized what happened he was back, making me jump with the sudden appearance. I felt my heart skip a beat before it started working again, a little faster than what was normal because of the fright. The man handed me a wet cloth to wipe my fingers off. I took it from him quietly.

"Are you unused to such swift movement, living with the sort that you do?" The man asked curiously after I gave him back the cloth. "They are just as fast as I am."

"Only when phased. I've never seen someone just disappear like that before." I answered honestly.

"You will stop noticing it after a while." He promised me, offering me a small smile.

I glared at him, feeling a dark sort of anger churning in my stomach. I asked hotly, "How long do you think I'm staying here?"

The flare of defiance did not go over too well with him. His gentle face hardened suddenly, eyes cold and features tight. He stepped closer, looming directly in front of me and glaring down. I shrank away from him when a low, rumbling growl slipped out of his throat. The almost bipolar change in him was something I did not know how to deal with.

He leaned forward and set his hands on the bed on either side of me, his shining red eyes barely four inches from my own. I felt my body start to lock up with terror, fearing yet again he was going to hurt me. He did not. In fact, the only thing he did was speak---though the ominous and dark tone of finality in his voice was scary on it's own.

"Let's get one thing straight, Alice." He said in a low, extremely displeased voice. "The life you knew before now is over. No matter what you say or do this is your home now. Here with me, in my house, with my coven. You cannot leave. You will not leave. _You are mine_. Do you understand that?"

I felt the blood drain out of my face and I squeaked, "Yes."

In total honesty I had _no_ damn idea what I had just agreed to, I only knew I had to agree to make the vampire happy. Did he mean he would never let me be with my family again? That for as long as he let me live I was just property he'd use however he wanted to? I was totally and completely at _his_ mercy? Well. I was fucked, wasn't I?

After a few tense, _endless_, seconds had ticked by he backed away from me and straightened himself upright again. He sighed, "You need to sleep. Lay down."

Trembling a tiny bit, I forced my body to obey his orders. I slipped under the blankets and settled onto the mattress, peeking up at the vampire with unmasked anxiety. He just stood there, arms crossed and unblinking as he stared at me. That was the last thing I saw before I succumbed to the darkness of exhaustion.

* * *

I had fallen asleep sometime in the afternoon, so naturally it was dark outside when I woke up. I was surprised to see a vampire sitting on either side of me, each incredibly near and leering downward at me like I had been found washed up on a beach. I was so surprised, in fact, that I squeaked and drew away from them the best I could. Two burning sets of red eyes was just _not_ something I ever expected to greet me after awakening, ya know?

The blonde man from last night glanced at the other one, who was a small man with soft brown hair. Immediately the second vampire backed away, giving me a little bit of breathing space as he took up a perch at the very end of the large bed.

I scooted into the sitting position, feeling more comfortable that way than lying down. I settled my attention on the blonde man and quietly greeted, "Hi."

He just smiled in response, staring at me quietly.

The other vampire spoke gently to me, informing, "I've bandaged your face. It will have to be changed three times a day for a while."

"Oh." I answered smartly, pressing the tiniest bit on the puffy white gauze that was taped to my cheek. I laughed a little and admitted, feeling a small blush creep onto my face, "I didn't even remember. It doesn't hurt at all today."

The blonde man's lips curled up into a wicked grin. He laughed, a low and smooth laugh it was. His eyes sparkled a bit when he responded, "That's because you're under the influence of… a very special, one-of-a-kind morphine. The bone is broken, it would hurt immensely without it."

Broken, hmm? I recalled the splitting agony I felt yesterday, and I nodded a little bit in understanding. I supposed a cracked (or shattered, by the force of a vampire's hand?) bone structure could quite easily cause such a terrible hurt.

I did not thank either of them for this supposed painkiller they gave to me. Maybe I was not suffering, but I darkly reminded myself that if it were not for big and blonde over there, I wouldn't have had the wound in the first place.

"Peter?" Addressed my vampire, not even turning his head to look at the brown-haired guy.

"Yes, Jasper?" Peter responded quite instantaneously.

"Get out." He ordered simply. And without so much as another word or another glance, Peter was gone.

"Jasper said to leave her for him to tend to."

The voice of the frigid-seeming woman from the stone room yesterday rang loudly and clearly in my ears. Jasper… So, my vampire was named Jasper? Well that was at least something I now knew. It still didn't answer any of the questions I had.

And when Alice Esme Cullen wanted answers, she got answers!

"So, Jasper," I had started out boldly, having even dared looking his way. His head, which was been inclined towards the door as if he were listening to something, snapped my way the moment I spoke. His dark, sharp eyes knocked the confidence right out of me. It was all I could do to stutter my question. "W-what h-happens now? With m-me, I mean."

"Are you afraid of heights?" He asked, totally either avoiding, redirecting, or ignoring my question.

I actually laughed at him; just honestly amused he'd ask such a thing. "I climb in forty foot trees with the guys at home for fun. Does that answer your question?"

He got off of the bed, pulling my covers aside and reaching out for my hand. I gingerly set my own on top. It was enveloped in an icy, firm grip a fraction of a second later. Jasper tugged me out of the bed and walked us over to the huge window. He opened one of the panels, stepping onto the ledge.

Now I resisted, taking an uncertain step back and unconsciously (ineffectively) tried to pull my hand away from his. I nervously informed him, "If we're like… jumping out this window, then I take back my answer. I don't know about _you_, but I'd rather not fling myself to a hard and sudden death."

"You're safe with me." He promised, sort of yanking me to his side. I felt my body tense as he pulled me onto the window's ledge with him.

He held onto me as he sprang out of the window, landing hard on the roofing of a gazebo just outside the back of the large building. I was surprised he did not break it, but he _had_ landed quite gracefully. Anyway, with a mighty leap, we found ourselves standing precariously on the edge of the roof.

He set me on my feet, walking behind me a few feet as I instinctively made my way to the upper-most part of the low roof. It was not hard to know where to go, there was a big blanket set out for us to lie upon. I settled down onto it, and he folded himself beside me a moment later.

"Do you do this often?" I asked him, looking around at the scenery. Every which direction my eyes sought, all I saw were trees. But even so, the view was quite nice. Maybe a bit plain, but nice.

"No, not often." He answered before falling silent again. He leaned backwards, staring at me as usual. I let my gaze wander up to the stars, and we sat like that for a long, long time without speaking to one another. I felt his eyes burning a hole into my back for an hour or two as I watched the dark sky growing pale as dawn drew nearer.

"You really are safe with me, Alice." Jasper said quite suddenly, literally for no reason.

I turned my head, looking at him over my shoulder. He had not moved from the position I last saw him in. However, when I had chosen to acknowledge him, he sat up and drew nearer to where I sat. He looked deeply into my eyes, and I found it impossible to look away.

"Earlier, you were worried about your future here." He reminded me, _finally_ deciding to address my question from on the bed. "You have nothing to fear."

I hesitantly turned so that I was facing him. Yesterday, if nothing else, I had learned that being short with Jasper meant he'd get scary. That idea firmly in mind, I made sure my voice was quite respectful when I argued with him.

"If I'm stuck here forever, then I should worry." I told him. "Because that means the rest of my life will be spent with your kind."

"And what's so wrong with my kind?" He asked darkly, making me shiver a little bit.

"You kill people." I answered, feeling a sharp sort of disgust growing in my stomach when I added. "You people murdered my aunt."

"So you fear us?" He guessed, quite correctly.

Of course I was afraid of them. They were dangerous. They were monsters. They were heartless abnormalities of life that feasted on the blood of the innocent to sustain their empty existences.

Yes, I did fear them. But the answer I gave Jasper was far bitterer. I turned my head away from him and muttered, "No, I _hate_ you."

I felt a cold hand brush under my chin, and Jasper gently turned my head back towards him. His eyes were so unbearably soft that I sort of melted when I looked into them. He leaned forward, tenderly pressing his cold lips against mine. The static that exploded through my entire body was like nothing else I'd ever felt before.

He pulled away from me as a moment passed, leaving my lips burning for more of him. In a warm, very intense voice, he promised me something. "Alice, no matter what you've been taught to think, I am not a bad person. I am _never_ going to hurt you."

I really did want to believe him, but I wasn't ready to yet. I just smiled a little bit and turned the other way, staring off into the distance. I felt him shift behind me, resuming his lying position, and felt his eyes burning into my back once again.


End file.
